#2 Tom Bellchambers 🛎

Lefty · June 10, 2018, 9:49am

huh?

Reboot · June 10, 2018, 9:52am

Certainly should have.

Nocturnal · June 10, 2018, 10:22am

I don’t see why we are pushing him when we know he can’t do a full load. Was the perfect game to rest him, give him two weeks recovery to set him for the remainder of the year.

Lefty · June 10, 2018, 10:24am

what other option did we have though? leuey didn’t play vfl so i presume he is injured and draper, although he has potential, isn’t quite ready yet.

aboods · June 10, 2018, 10:26am

Who would have replaced him today?
Looney hasn’t played VFL for a few weeks some reason. Draper isn’t ready you wouldn’t think

LucasLefty · June 10, 2018, 10:30am

NLM

Ants · June 10, 2018, 2:13pm

Actually, it’s not that atypical for rucks. They often peak after 27.

Henry_s_Angry_Pills · June 10, 2018, 10:58pm

Play a guy in his 3rd or 4th year of footy on Stef Martin? The week before a week off? How on earth can you justify that?

chris_64 · June 10, 2018, 11:28pm

Toms calf injury/tightness was first mentioned against GWS. In the 3 games since then he has variously had ice therapy at the end of games, massage therapy on the ground at 3/4 time and during time off the field,

In yesterdays game, where in spite of not being unable to jump, he managed to beat Martin in taps to advantage and score almost as many hit outs across the game. Its a credit to his persistence.

Lets hope the 11 day break will help him to recover his calf issue and he will be better around the ground against the Eagles.

This season Tom is doing better at hitouts and hitouts to advantage than Naitanui, but Naitanui is a high jumping freak, so it remains to be seen if Tom can jump with him, or choses to use his body to destabilise Naitanui, which did to good effect against Ryder last year.

Nocturnal · June 11, 2018, 12:53am

Martin is probably one of the few McKernan could take without giving away a size difference. Play him in the ruck for a week. Draper forward and ruck for a game.

Black_Kavanagh · June 11, 2018, 1:15am

This guy is in the form of his life right now.

Putting the ball on a plate for our midfield.

We would never win a clearance without this guy in the side.

Really becoming a leader this season with his performances.

aboods · June 11, 2018, 1:22am

chris_64:

Toms calf injury/tightness was first mentioned against GWS. In the 3 games since then he has variously had ice therapy at the end of games, massage therapy on the ground at 3/4 time and during time off the field,

In yesterdays game, where in spite of not being unable to jump, he managed to beat Martin in taps to advantage and score almost as many hit outs across the game. Its a credit to his persistence.

Lets hope the 11 day break will help him to recover his calf issue and he will be better around the ground against the Eagles.

This season Tom is doing better at hitouts and hitouts to advantage than Naitanui, but Naitanui is a high jumping freak, so it remains to be seen if Tom can jump with him, or choses to use his body to destabilise Naitanui, which did to good effect against Ryder last year.

Natanui’s stats are based off rucking only about 50% of the time.
Tom will be up against NicNat and Lycett.
This will be a massive challenge and Smack might need to spend a bit more time in the ruck to keep TBell fresh

Sugar_Winton · June 11, 2018, 4:39am

He has had an excellent year and will enjoy a well deserved week off.

smooth · June 11, 2018, 4:46am

Sure to get a well deserved contract extension, but we really need to think about succession planning for our ruck stocks. I can’t see Leuenberger being kept when his contract expires at the end of this season. McKernan could get another year but he’s more a forward now than a ruckman. Draper and Lavender are 2 long-term prospects via the Category B rookie and pre-season drafts. We’ll do well if one of those becomes AFL quality, but there is a chance neither will work out. How does this draft look in terms of ruck prospects?

aboods · June 11, 2018, 4:58am

I think it’s a pretty simple scenario.

Delist Looney.
Give TBell a 2 year extension
if they are confident that Draper is going to be ready to be the backup ruck for next year they can replace Looney with a youngster to develop. If they aren’t confident about Draper for next year, then they might go for a more mature replacement for Looney.
re NewLAV, where they see him might also affect the above decision. Eg. If they see him as a ruck, then they probably don’t even need to get a replacement for Looney. If they see him as a forward or a defender then they will need the Looney replacement.

Alan_Noonan_10 · June 11, 2018, 4:59am

In the spirit of Finding Nino, I’m trading Leuy to Geelong for Mitch Duncan.

They desperately need another ruckman and we just don’t tell them he was drafted in ‘06 (very high too - pick 4?)

WindsockBoy · June 11, 2018, 5:05am

Agree with Leuny finishing up.
Will still need “a break glass in case of emergency” ruck in case both Belly and Draper are hurt.
New Lav a long way off.

Didn’t we give a few games to potential rucks in the VFL early on?
Smart to give them just a game or two, then stash them away for pick 70 odd if so.
There’s always the State League options too.
Drafting an 18 yr old, unless outstanding, is a three to four year punt.

There’s always Million Dollar Baby too - his annual wages should be manageable by next year and the Dogs are a push over at trade time.

Sugar_Winton · June 11, 2018, 10:35am

Luenberg delisted at years end bar any serious injuries to TBell. Mckernan stays on the list as a forward/ruck option, Draper and Lavendar.

willie_dick · June 11, 2018, 11:36am

He wouldn’t come cheap but I wonder if Peter wright could be a full time ruck?

Scott lycett is a FA but imagine he would be more likely to go home to SA.

Fairybread · June 11, 2018, 12:22pm

Bellchambers is manged week to week. He hardly trains (one session) during the week during the season.

Him pulling up sore after the game on Sunday is normal.